Monroe: Davis' Decision Benefits Spurs

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....14afead4.html

Mike Monroe: Davis' decision benefits Spurs
Mike Monroe

If the Spurs emerge from the Western Conference playoffs and win another NBA title next season, — it will be an odd year, after all — they might have to consider giving a playoff share to Baron Davis.

Davis’ decision to opt out of the final year of his Golden State Warriors contract, which would have paid him $17.8 million, has set the table for the Spurs to make an offer to Clippers guard-forward Corey Maggette, just the sort of athletic wing man they have coveted for the past few seasons.

Should the Spurs make an offer to Maggette, who on Monday opted out of a deal that would have paid him $7 million next season, they won’t have to worry about the Clippers negating it by using their “Larry Bird” rights to offer him a deal worth a lot more.

Davis reportedly has agreed to sign with the Clippers. ESPN’s Marc Stein reports that the deal will be worth about $65 million over five seasons, and that the Clippers quickly will move to reach agreement with All-Star forward Elton Brand. To do so, they have to renounce their rights to Maggette, and that means they can’t work a sign-and-trade deal that would get him more money than the Spurs can offer. Thus, the way has been cleared for the Spurs to offer him a deal starting at the full mid-level salary cap exception, expected to be about $5.85 million.

Davis’ decision to opt out of his deal was a stunner. One Eastern Conference executive called it “a bad screw-up.”

Another Eastern general manager painted a more interesting word picture.

“That’s like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute,” he said, “and hoping somebody throws you one before you hit the ground.”

It even caught Warriors coach Don Nelson by surprise. He admitted as much to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Now you have to wonder if Nelson’s odd decision to keep Davis on the bench the entire second half of the Warriors’ next-to-last game of the regular season had eaten at Davis for the past couple of months. That game against the Suns was one the Warriors had to win to stay in the Western Conference playoff picture.

The only way for Davis, 29, to recoup a good chunk of that foregone $17.8 million was to sign a five-year deal that started out at about $10 million, and that’s what the Clippers seem prepared to give him. And now it looks like they will get to keep Brand, too, and that is going to put them right back in the thick of the Western playoff chase next season.

If you’re wondering why Clippers center Chris Kaman had a spotty 2007-08 season, look no further than the sorry state of the team’s point guards. Except for Sam Cassell, who was traded to the Celtics late in the season, none of them could shoot. And Cassell never was healthy enough to keep on the court for very long. Opposing teams went under every pick and roll from the free-throw line, extended to half court, dropping defenders in Kaman’s — and Maggette’s — laps.

Go under a pick and roll with Davis handling the ball and he will stick a 20-foot jumper, even a 3-pointer.

It could be that the Spurs benefit as much as the Clippers from Davis’ decision to bolt the Bay for his hometown of L.A. There is no guarantee the two teams with enough salary cap space — the 76ers and Grizzlies — won’t wave a lot more money at Maggette. Nor is there any certainty he will sign an offer sheet for the full mid-level exception with the Spurs rather than the Orlando Magic, another team that covets his services.

But the Spurs always have been an appealing landing spot for talented players who have been in non-winning situations most of their careers. It could be that the Spurs benefit as much as the Clippers from Davis’ decision to bolt the Bay for his hometown of L.A. , where he has begun to get into the production of films. While there is no guarantee the two teams with enough salary cap space to offer more money — the 76ers and Grizzlies — won’t wave a lot more money at Maggette, or that he will sign an offer sheet for the full mid-level exception with the Spurs — rather than the Orlando Magic, another team that covets his services — the Spurs always have been an appealing landing spot for talented players who have been in non-winning situations most of their careers. Something about getting to play with perennial All-Star Tim Duncan on a team that has been to the Finals four times since 1999.

:tu
Thank you, Baron.

A number of errors that I'm too damn lazy to point out.

A better effort. A little redundant at the end. Also, if I am not mistaken, the Warriors should have some cap room now.

Amen

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

A better effort. A little redundant at the end. Also, if I am not mistaken, the Warriors should have some cap room now.

---

That team suddenly looks a bit dead in the water and listless. Where's their point guard now? They're stocked with shooting guards and gangly project big men. They might be forced to trade for Hinrich or someone now.

So bigger issues than getting Maggette, who plays a position of little need.

Fingers crossed.

I will say thank you once we have Maggette.

baron helps us with maggette, but we'll be hating him soon because the clippers are going to be a good team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

A better effort. A little redundant at the end. Also, if I am not mistaken, the Warriors should have some cap room now.

---

lol...I thought those last two paragraphs were the same one accidently copied
twice, I kept looking back up at the top paragraph..very redundant.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. Body

That team suddenly looks a bit dead in the water and listless. Where's their point guard now? They're stocked with shooting guards and gangly project big men. They might be forced to trade for Hinrich or someone now.

So bigger issues than getting Maggette, who plays a position of little need.

---

Ellis, I guess.

The Warriors and Grizzlies don't really look like likely landing spots for Maggette. Neither do the Sixers for that matter, though I could see them opting to pick up an asset out of free agency if they don't land Smith.

Perhaps the stars have aligned.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. Body

That team suddenly looks a bit dead in the water and listless. Where's their point guard now? They're stocked with shooting guards and gangly project big men. They might be forced to trade for Hinrich or someone now.

So bigger issues than getting Maggette, who plays a position of little need.

---

I agree with the dead in the water part, but their PG will be Ellis.

Now we are really going to see how bad Corey wants a ring...TD needs to be recruiting(which I'm sure he has/is)...no state income tax going for us....I'm just worried about Orlando.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big P

Now we are really going to see how bad Corey wants a ring...TD needs to be recruiting(which I'm sure he has/is)...no state income tax going for us....I'm just worried about Orlando.

---

3 years for the MLE with a player option after year 2 so he can become a free agent in the wonderful summer of 2010 when half of the NBA (including the Spurs) will have the cap room to sign one of 5 max worthy free agents.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big P

Now we are really going to see how bad Corey wants a ring...TD needs to be recruiting(which I'm sure he has/is)...no state income tax going for us....I'm just worried about Orlando.

---

Florida has no state income either.

It would be awesome to keep another FA from Orlando again :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

Also, if I am not mistaken, the Warriors should have some cap room now.

---

Davis just doubled the Spurs' bet. The upside is bigger (Maggette) but so is the downside -- maybe not even getting Pietrus because GS has extra cash to spend.

That's why the summer is interesting. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by T Park

Florida has no state income either.

It would be awesome to keep another FA from Orlando again :lol

---

Gotcha..wasn't sure about the state tax thing in Fla...I'm just going to keep hopes up that he will seriously consider playing here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Russ

Davis just doubled the Spurs' bet. The upside is bigger (Maggette) but so is the downside -- maybe not even getting Pietrus because GS has extra cash to spend.

That's why the summer is interesting. :)

---

More or less. Maggette would solve some problems, no doubt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big P

Now we are really going to see how bad Corey wants a ring...TD needs to be recruiting(which I'm sure he has/is)...no state income tax going for us....I'm just worried about Orlando.

---

After some careful thought, Orlando's best chance to get Maggette was via S&T. Originally, the Clips wanted to do a deal that included Hedo, but Magic GM, Otis Smith, nixed any possibilities of that because he didn't want to part with Turkeylog.

The Magic are already shelling out big money contracts to Howard, Lewis and Turkeylog. Now that a S&T isn't an available option for Maggette, they can only offer their mid-level exception just like the Spurs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SenorSpur

After some careful thought, Orlando's best chance to get Maggette was via S&T. Originally, the Clips wanted to do a deal that included Hedo, but Magic GM, Otis Smith, nixed any possibilities of that because he didn't want to part with Turkeylog.

The Magic are already shelling out big money contracts to Howard, Lewis and Turkeylog. Now that a S&T isn't an available option for Maggette, they can only offer their mid-level exception just like the Spurs.

---

And they just drafted a Maggette clone in Courtney Lee :toast

I love Baron more and more each day

Shits hit the floor, it's gonna be an exciting day come July 9. Fingers crossed!

I love Baron..... All of us should pray that Corey going to SA. PRAY NOW!!!!!!!

If we extend Gino, we will not have that cap space we all are talking about. Tim at 18 mil, Tony at 13 mil and Gino at, lets say a modest 11 mil. That is 42 million between 3 players... not a lot of cap space to make a max offer.

I still want JR instead, but Corey would be sick and such a freaking surprise, the league would be put on notice:
Oberto
Duncan
Bowen
Corey or JR
Tony
with Gino off the bench, no rest for teams.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SenorSpur

After some careful thought, Orlando's best chance to get Maggette was via S&T. Originally, the Clips wanted to do a deal that included Hedo, but Magic GM, Otis Smith, nixed any possibilities of that because he didn't want to part with Turkeylog.

The Magic are already shelling out big money contracts to Howard, Lewis and Turkeylog. Now that a S&T isn't an available option for Maggette, they can only offer their mid-level exception just like the Spurs.

---

Also, they are meeting with Duhon, who just got an offer from the Knicks for 2 years, at about half the MLE. Like someone else posted in another thread, if they are meeting with Duhon then they should be aware about the offer, and must be planning on offering around the same amount, if not more. That would pretty much cancel any rumors or plans to sign Maggette, because he would want the full MLE.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPG21920

If we extend Gino, we will not have that cap space we all are talking about. Tim at 18 mil, Tony at 13 mil and Gino at, lets say a modest 11 mil. That is 42 million between 3 players... not a lot of cap space to make a max offer.

---

Actually, shouldn't that give them around $12 or 13 million to spend on a max contract? The way the cap has been going, it should give them plenty of room to sign a guy to a max deal in 2010.

No, if they have 40+ million with only three players, lets say the cap is 70 million, that is only 30 million to sign 11 more players...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPG21920

No, if they have 40+ million with only three players, lets say the cap is 70 million, that is only 30 million to sign 11 more players...

---

Ah, I got ya. For some reason I completely ignored the fact that there would be other players on the roster besides the big 3. :lol

I know lol, everyone seems to be doing that, including myself!

I wish they would do away with the fouling out so that teams can have like only 8 players who are all bad ass and they train to play the entire game like soccer players. You could still give flagrant 1 and 2 fouls to eject people, but they can not foul out.

Forget it. As if nobody does not know, Corey is going for the most money. Not Championship or great teammates.

can someone post a profile of Maggette? Age stats etc?

BDiddy is the man!!! only caveat is that we must sign maggette.

Don Nelson is a moron. His benching of Baron in the 2nd half came back to bite him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tlongII

Don Nelson is a moron. His benching of Baron in the 2nd half came back to bite him.

---

He did the same thing to Pietrus -- that's why he's undervalued.